Ventilating construction



Sept'. 12, 193.9.V

av. s. REYNOLDS VENTILATING CONSTRUCTION v Filed Feb. 18, 1937 4 .Sheets-Sheet 1 B. s. REYNOLDS VENTILATING` CONSTRUCTION sept. 12, 1939,

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1937- Sept. 12,- 1939. Bis. REYNOLDS VENTILATING CONSTRUCTION.

Filed Feb.l 18, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ubwmuvrnrn umfang y .hadn/alwaar:

Sept. 12, 1939. B. s. REYNOLDS VENTILATING CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 18, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept..12,- 1 939 UNITI-:liSTATES PATENT orifice Y cniamin s. Regi, mjmm to Burgess Battery Company,

corporation of Wisconsin` February 1s, maserati No. iz'ssio s claims.- (cuss- 4) .This invention relates to Ventilating systems,

pplication and particularly vto air distributing means --ior the draftless -type of ventilation in which an extended air distributor covering substantially the ceiling or one or more walls of theenclosure'to be ventilated' is employed todivide the air sup-` plied into a multiplicity of fine' streams which are directed into the enclosure at all points of the distributor.

My invention embodies constructions,- of the above describedtype and is particularly adapted 'Ito ventilation of vehicles and especially railway 'other matters discussed hereinafter as the de passenger cars. vDue to the limited space available in thepassenger compartment of a railvway car, Ventilating air inlets are necessarily close to the persons occupying the space, and the problem of supplying suiilcientair without drafts is particularly diflicult. type of Ventilating system offers. a solution. Essential factors to be considered in the design of a distributor for such a system include vibra.-

.tion and jolting, odorl and dirt accumulation,

space limitations, acoustical characteristics and scription of my invention proceeds.

.'Ihe object of this invention is to provide an extended distributor for vehicle Ventilating systems which provides draftless ventilation and a pleasing appearance to the passengers, is rugged in construction, adjustably controls the volume of air passing through any .area thereof, does not accumulate odors, and; may readily be disas- A sembled for cleaning or adjustment. Other objectsjand advantages of the invention will becomeapparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing the interior .of a railway pasbenger car equipped with my air distributor;

, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a cross-beam;x

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal detailed section taken at 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 isa cross-sectional view ofthe clerestory of a railway car equipped with my air distributor;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional detailed viewV of the construction shown in Fig. 4; l

Fig. 6 is a longitudinalsection of the railway car clerestory shown'in Fig. 4,. taken at "-I; Fig. 7 is a detailed section throughs. cross beamtakenatI`IinFig.1;.'4 Fis. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken at anendofacrossbeam; m

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the top of -the controlling 'panel of an air distributing unit; Fis. 10 is a .perspectiverview showing the top of the distributing panel of an air distributing unit;and' Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a modification of the distributing panel shown in Fig. l10. The air distributor which forms thesubiect The extended distributor.

' level.

in Fig. 1 to the ventilated space below. control is accomplished by varying the propor- Chicaso, Ill., a

adhesive 6, such as Dednox", to prevent rumble and the conduction or radiation of heat and provide a substantially air-tight foundation for the layer of felt or other suitable insulating and/or sound-absorbing material 8 cemented in place between carlines I0 and rafters I2. Preformed sheet metal sections I4, having been previously sprayed with a layer of- Dednox I3 on their exterior surfaces to damp vibration and provide thermal insulation, are arranged "in position and i Units 2 are-supported -by channels I8, which, in turn, are supported by cross beams 20. These fastened to carlines I0, rafters i2 and stringers I6.

cross vbeams may advantageously be fabricated from sheet metal, a member having a li cross section being provided with holes through which bolts 22 project downwardly. The width of cross beams 20 may be such as to 'receive the heads of bolts 22 snugly, thus preventing turning of the bolts when nuts 24. are screwed onto them inV -assemblying the distributor.

Bolts 22 may be welded in place, if desired, as shown vai: 2.6.

Metallic strip 28 isv spot-welded to the flanges of 'the cross beam. The purpose of this strip is to add to the strength of the member and prevent the acculation of dirt in the trough of the beams. Heavy wood or machine screws 3B are used in fastening the cross beams to stringers i6.

The flanges of the cross beams and the ends of strip 28 are cut awayso that thelower surface of the flanges and stringers I6 are at Vthe same Wood llers or metal boxes 32 may be inserted into cross beams-20 at the ends to prevent collapse when screws 30 draw the beam tightly against stringers I6. f

The Vconstruction details of unit 2 are best shown in Figs. 4, 5, 9 and 10. Each unit is madeup of two members. the upper member being known as the controlling panel, since its func- Y tion is vto control the passage of air from plenum chamber 34 formed in the clerestory as shown This Distributing-panel u my conveniently be mnstructed by spot-Heldin! together abuttim,

be provided, if desired, to increase the rigidity of the apertured controlling panel 36. These re inforcing members should be positioned on the panel in the direction'of air flow in plenum chamber 34 so that' the vertical leg will not interfere with the uniformity of distribution of the Ventilating air over the area of controlling panel 36 by causing eddy currents. While reinforcing members 56 are referably used with a sheet metal controlling anel, they may be partially or Wholly .dispensed with when a. pressed board, such the frame.

as' Masonite or other fiber board, is used. A self-sustaining sound-absorbing material, such as Nu-Wood or Celotex may be used, if-desired. If one of the latter materials is used, flange 54 of frame 52 may be extended inwardly to provide a support for the controlling panel', and the panel may be bolted to this portion of Another suitable construction is a unitary' controlling panel spot-welded to the flanges of the distributing panel. Obviously, this unit cannot be disassembled for cleaning Purposes.

Where the air distributor is subjected to excessive vibration, it may be necessary to provide additional reinforcing to distributing panel 41|.

The inodiiied distributing panel shown in Fig. 11.

is provided with T-bars 58 extending across pans 80. transversely to the flanges of these pans."

Each T bar is rigidly iixed'to the pans by riveting or spot-welding angles 62 to the panA flange and to the stem of the T-bar. Frame 64 is identical with frame 45 inFig. 10.

In assembling the air distributor in the vehicle, cross bears 20 are iirst fastened inrplace at proper intervals throughout the length of the car. Each unit, comprising a controlling panel yseated upon the frame of a distributing panel,

is positioned between -a pair of cross beams, the upper surface of the controlling panel frame y abutting against the lower surfaceof vthe flanges of the cross beams. The unit is held together and in position by moldings I8 tightly drawn upwardly against the distributing` panel, as best shown in Fig. 7. The air distributor may readily be disassembled for. cleaning by removing each unit and lifting the controlling panel from its seat on the distributing panel frame.

The dimensions ofthe variousp'arts of the air distributing apparatus must be such that the desired air distribution isobtained. These dimensions may vary for diierent installations. The plenum chamber must be suiilciently large to carryv the Ventilating air from the supply duct outlet to an pointeur the air distributor without moving at too great. a velocity over any part thereoi/ Movement of theair over the controlling panel at relatively high A speed causes a horizontal drift of the airas it enters the space to be ventilated. This is an undesirable inter-'- o tainable with properly designed apparatus.

On the other hand, if the cross-sectional area of the plenum chamber is too great, the time consumed .by the air in moving the length of the and distributing panels too closely together, the

air is not given suiiicient opportunity to spread over the distributing member, and the velocity of the air passing through the perforations in the distributing panel in register, with the controlling panel openings is considerably greater than that of the air-through other portions of this panel. A large number of tests indicate that a secondary chamber 3/8 inches or greater in depth is satisfactory.

The proportion of open area in the distributing panel is greater than that in the controlling panel; consequently, the f velocity of the air streams passing through the former is less than that ofv the streams passing through the latter. Esthetic as well as utilitarian considerations require that the perforations be small and uniformly distributed throughout the area of the distributing panel. This construction spreads the air so that it enters the room and passes therethrough in a blanket-like manner. The proportion of' open area in the controlling panel depends upon the volume of air. to be allowed to pass through the distributor in the -zone at which the particular panel is located. Since the number or sizeof holes may vary in diil'erent distributor installations, or in different zones of the same distributor, a smaller number of large holes may be desirable from` the standpoint of 'manufacturing economy. `Small openings may In one railway car Ventilating system installa# Q tion, the air distributor consists of a false ceiling, made up of eighteen air distributing units 36 x 66 inches. Ventilating air is supplied to the plenum chamber at one end of the car at the rate of 'about 2300 cubic feet per minute and the vltiated air is exhausted from thepassenger space-at iioor level at the same end of the car. -The plenum chamber -is approximately l19% inches deep and the-controlling panel measures inches in width. The air distributor which is 54 feet long is divided into three zones as follows:

Zone l, nearest the supply of Ventilating air, is made up of iive units, the controlling panels are 0.533,per cent open having 2 three-quarter Yinch holes per square foot;

Zone 2; intermediate, is made up of 7 units, the controlling panels are 2.14 percent open having 6.4 three-quarter inch holes per square foot;

Zone 3, in the'end 'of the distributor remote from zone 1, is made up of 6 units, the controlling'panels are 3.24 percent open .having 9.6 Vthree-quarter inch holes 'per square' foot.

4All distributing panels are uniform, being' 10 percent open and having 15.three thirty-second inch holes per square inch. These dimensions 4 arenot critical-and the number and size o! holes vmay be 'somewhat varied. -The holes may be of 'any shape and arranged in any desired' fresh air enters the passenger space uniformly throughout the area of each zone. Since'air introduced into the remote end of the car must travel the length of the car before it is exhausted or re-conditioned, its temperature is subject to change as it travels through the car due to heat transfer through the walls of the car or radiation from the sun and heat given ofi bythe passengers. This air is available to the passengers for breathing for a greater length of time and, consequently, is subject to greater contamination. In order to maintain the air in all parts of the car homogeneous, the controlling panels of the zones remote from the intake and exhaust end of the car are provided with a larger proportion of open area than those near the supply and, as shown above, the Ventilating air thereby bein'g supplied to the car in quantities which increase roughly with the distance of the point in the car supplied from thel source or supply. This zoning may also be accomplished by plugging a portion of the holes in the controlling panel, all panels being uniformly apertured.

Acoustical observations have shown that the noise level within the .passenger car is materially reduced by the action of the double panel air distributor, probably due to a Helmholtz resol nator eect in secondary chamber. 38 and plenum chamber 3d together with the dissipation of the sound waves passing fromA one medium to another of diierent temperature and density. If further acoustical correction is desired, the upper and side walls of the plenum chamber may bel of sound-absorbing construction. ThisA may be accomplished by selecting an insulating material 8 which is capable of serving the double function of heat insulator and sound-absorber, such as hair or jute felt, fBalsam wool, mineral wool, cork, metalr foil, etc.` If. desired, this material may be faced with a sound-transparent, airimpervious material to protect the absorberinsulator and prevent the passage of airinto the material and attendant accumulation of dirt and odors. Metal foil, paper, or Cellophane is Asuitable for this purpose.v If a metal foil absorber-insulator is used, such a facing is unnecessary. Or, a perforated sheet metal facing may be used as shown in Norris Patent No. 1,726,500.

dated August 27, 1929. This perforated facing may be backed `by an air-impervious, soundtransparent film cemented to the metal for the purpose'above set forth. l

The specific example described above illustrates my invention and is suicient to .enable one.A skilled in the art to practice the same.

Although I have illustrated the invention as used in a railwayicar of wooden construction,

only minor changes would be required in a steel car installation. Machine screws and tapped holes may be used as supporting means. Further, the invention may be adapted to many uses other than passenger car'ventilation, the particular construction described being useful as an air distributor for the ventilation of other vehicles and other Ventilating systems.

I claim: 1. In a Ventilating system for a vehicle, airdistributing apparatus comprising a chamber extending longitudinally superjacent the vehicle interior, a plurality of removable air disuting panel, said controlling panel comprising an apertured panel-like member and a frame adapted to seat in the frame of said distributing panel whereby to interlock said controlling panel against lateral movement relatively to said distributing panel and to space said controlling panel from said distributing panel.

2. In a Ventilating system for a vehicle, airdistributing apparatus comprising a chamber extending longitudinally superjacent the car interior, a plurality oi removable air distributing units arranged in edge-to-edge relationto form an apertured partition between said chamber and said vehicle interior, each of said units comprising a controlling panel and a distributing panel,

said distributing panel comprising a plurality of' perforated pans in side-'by-,side relation and a frame interlocking with the bounding anges of the pan assembly and having a iiange extending away from said pan assembly, said controlling' panel comprising an apertured panel-like member and a frame adapted to seat in the frame of said distributing panel, whereby to interlock said controlling panel against lateral movement relatively to said distributing panel and to space said controlling panel from said distributing panel. 3. The construction of claim l and including reinforcing members on said distributing panel. 4i. The construction of claim 1 and including reinforcing members on said controlling panel.

5. An air-distributing unit for a Ventilating system comprising, in combination, a controlling panel and a distributing panel, said distributing panel comprising a perforated panel-like member and a frame interlocking with the distributing panel. and having a 4flange extending away from said distributing panel, said controlling panel comprising an apertured panel-like member and a frame adapted to seat in the frame of said distributing panel whereby to interlock said controlling panel against lateral movement relatively to said distributing panel and to space said controlling panel from said distributing panel. ,l

6. In an air-distributing apparatus for a ventilating system, a space to be ventilated, a plenum chamber, a plurality of removable airdistributing units arranged in edge-to-edge re'- lation to form an apertured partition between said chamber and said space, each of said units being a demountable assembly comprising a controlling panel and a distributing panel, said 

